Baoguo Temple

Baoguo Temple, located on the north side of Guanganmen Inner Street in Xuanwu District, was first built in the Liao Dynasty, and collapsed in the early Ming Dynasty. Because the uncle of the Emperor became a monk of this temple in me 2nd year under the reign of Cheng Hua of the Ming Dynasty (1466), the temple was rebuilt, and renamed as Ciren Temple, and commonly called Baoguo Temple. In the 19th year under the reign of Qian Long of the Qing Dynasty (1754), the temple was rebuilt again, and renamed as Great Baoguo Ciren Temple.

Baoguo Temple is the largest temple in the southern part of Beijing City with seven courtyards and seven halls. Behind the seven halls is the 36-tier Vairochana Pavilion with a porcelain statue of Guany in Buddha housed, which was contributed by a kiln of Jingde Town during the reign of Sheng Zong of the Ming Dynasty, and hailed as one of top eight treasures of Beijing in the past. The temple still keeps a stone stele made under imperial order in the 2nd year under the reign of Cheng Hua of the Ming Dynasty (1466) and a poetry stele established under imperial order to record the reconstruction of Baoguo Temple in the 21 st year under the reign of Qian Long of the Qing Dynasty (1756). Gu Yanwu, a great thinker during Ming and Qing dynasties, once lived in the west courtyard of the temple when he stayed in Beijing. In the 22nd year under the reign of Dao Guang of the Qing Dynasty (1843), the west courtyard was rebuilt as a memorial temple to Gu Yanwu.

Now, Baoguo Temple has been restored and taken as the Beijing Ancient Culture Market, where you can find various old books, coins, stamps, curios and jewelries. It is a national cultural heritage under special protection.